- Draghi says quarantine rules for schools will be lifted
- Government emergency power due to expire on March 31
Italy is set to end its Covid-19 state of emergency and further ease restrictions, exactly two years after it became the epicenter of the pandemic in Europe.
The government doesn’t plan to extend the emergency powers, which were introduced in 2020 and will expire on March 31, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Wednesday during a trip to Florence.
“The health outlook is improving quickly thanks to the success of the vaccination campaign,” he said. “That allows us to lift the remaining restrictions on people and companies.”
The emergency extension has been a focus of political debate, with some parties backing the government and others, including Matteo Salvini’s League, asking for it to end.
From April, Italy will also scrap the three-tier regional system used to adapt restrictions to infection rates in each area, Draghi said. Curbs will be further eased in schools, with quarantines for students lifted, he added. The use of Covid-19 passports will be gradually reviewed.
Italy has reported a steady decline in the daily number of cases in recent weeks, with 49,040 new cases reported on Wednesday.
“Our aim is to re-open everything, as soon as possible,” Draghi said.